A long-running tug-of-war over who will police Surrey is expected to end on Wednesday.
Attorney General Mike Farnworth is expected to announce at noon whether the community will return to the RCMP or continue with the transition to the Surrey Police Department.
After years of uncertainty and political table tennis, many taxpayers are hopeful that this will actually be the final decision.
Support for both police forces costs the city $8 million a month.
In April, the province advised Surrey to continue its transition to municipality.
Mayor Brenda Locke and a majority of the council refused, tasking city officials with finding a way to meet the many restrictions Farnworth had imposed on the maintenance of the cavalry.
In the weeks that followed, the mayor and the minister of public security accused each other of lacking transparency.
Locke accused Farnworth of bullying and even misogyny.
“Police agencies, whether municipal or RCMP, are professional organizations. I know men and women, whether municipal or RCMP, will continue to do a great job,” Farnworth said. said on Monday.
A previous independent analysis found that plans to staff the SPS with more than 700 people would cost Surrey more than $30 million a year more than the RCMP.
However, dissolving the SPS would leave the city with $72 million in severance payments.
The state has expressed concerns about public safety and the high number of vacancies within the RCMP.
In the spring, it offered $150 million to help with Surrey’s transition to the City Army.
In a video posted to his Twitter account on Tuesday, Locke said: “I am pleased to report that the RCMP manpower increase in Surrey has exceeded expectations and is ahead of schedule.”
The SPS has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday afternoon, but the RCMP has not yet confirmed whether it will hold a similar press conference.
Former Mayor Doug McCallum, an advocate for the city’s power, will also speak alongside current City Councilors Doug Elford and Mandeep Nagra, Safe Surrey Coalition Councilors.
Locke’s office had previously said it would not comment until a decision was made.
